Design Lead

Aquatec; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquatec in Brisbane is seeking an experienced Design Lead to drive the design and engineering function across our water infrastructure programs. You will blend hands-on technical oversight with design project management to ensure constructible, regulator‑ready outcomes.

You will lead mechanical and civil design scopes, coordinate with engineers, CAD technicians and project teams, and ensure outputs meet Australian standards and authority specifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Civil Engineering.
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) and NER registration – advantage.
• RPEQ & RPEV – required or able to obtain within 6 months.
• Experience in water infrastructure design with authorities or councils.
• Experience in Design & Construct environments with delivery constraints and site integration.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design for sewer pump stations and related infrastructure.
• Act as technical lead across mechanical and civil design scopes.
• Collaborate with engineers, CAD technicians and design support staff.
• Coordinate timely release of design documentation to align with project schedules.
• Oversee design quality through QA and compliance with Australian Standards and water authority specs.
• Work with water authorities, subcontractors and suppliers on design matters.
• Collaborate with project managers and site supervisors to resolve constructability issues.

Skills

Design leadership

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Civil Engineering with mechanical design integration experience

Tools

AutoCAD

Navisworks 3D

Job description

Aquatec is Australia’s leading advisor and innovator in water, wastewater, and odour management solutions.
We're more than a company — we are a catalyst for positive change in the water industry.

With over 30 years of local and international experience, we design, build and deliver end-to-end solutions across a wide range of environmental sewerage and water infrastructure systems. Our projects span large scale developments, councils, water authorities, developers, and a strong network of retail and channel partners.

At Aquatec, we are passionate about collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Our people are at the heart of our success, and we are proud to offer a culture that fosters both professional and personal growth.

We partner with government, business, and residential clients to tackle the water challenges our communities face today and into the future. As a recognised leader in water infrastructure, we are committed to delivering long-term, sustainable solutions that improve both infrastructure and the quality of life for communities everywhere.

Join us and be part of a team that’s reshaping the future of the water industry.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and technically accomplished Design Lead to drive the design and engineering function across Aquatec’s design and construct infrastructure programs.

This is a pivotal position responsible for ensuring engineering quality, regulatory compliance and cross-functional collaboration throughout the design lifecycle. The role blends hands‑on technical oversight with design project management, ensuring our designs are constructible, standardised and aligned with both authority and operational expectations.

You will work with a team of multidisciplinary designers and engineers, coordinate project aligned deliverables and act as a key technical interface across delivery, procurement and client teams. This is an opportunity to shape design standards and contribute to the successful execution of major infrastructure projects across the water sector.

Key responsibilities include, but aren’t limited to;

Lead the end-to-end design process for sewer pump stations and associated infrastructure, such as but not limited to, maintenance hole systems and chemical dosing units, ensuring all outputs are constructible, regulator-compliant and aligned to internal and external standards.

Act as the technical lead across mechanical and civil design scopes, providing direction, technical sign-off and collaborative input throughout project lifecycles.

Collaborate with a team of engineers, CAD technicians and design support staff including design sequencing, reviews and approvals.

Coordinate the timely release of design documentation to align with project schedules and site readiness requirements.

Oversee design quality through internal peer reviews, QA processes and compliance with relevant Australian Standards and water authority specifications.

Work with water authorities, subcontractors and suppliers on design matters, ensuring practical application of client specifications and early input into fabrication and installation constraints.

Collaborate with project managers and site supervisors to resolve constructability issues, manage design RFIs and deliver solutions that support efficient installation and commissioning.

Maintain and evolve tools and processes that improve delivery, consistency and team productivity across concurrent projects.

Support continuous improvement initiatives across design workflows, design standards and design‑document interfaces with procurement and construction.

Participate in internal audits, design risk assessments and Safety in Design (SiD) reviews to ensure safe and compliant infrastructure outcomes.

About You

You are a experienced Mechanical or Civil Engineer with deep technical knowledge of water infrastructure design and a passion for working with high-performing teams. You thrive in environments where accuracy, delivery excellence and stakeholder collaboration are critical to project success.

You bring a balance of technical strength, communication skills and delivery focus enabling your team to produce constructible, regulator-ready design outcomes across complex, multi‑phase projects. You are confident when interfacing with water authorities, project managers, site teams and suppliers’ whist having a proven ability to translate technical requirements into real‑world, fit‑for‑purpose solutions.

You enjoy mentoring and working with others, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement and shaping design systems that uplift performance at scale.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

A Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering (or Civil Engineering with strong mechanical design integration experience) – required

Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) and NER registration –advantage

RPEQ & RPEV –required or able to obtain within 6 months

Experience in water infrastructure design, with a strong track record delivering water infrastructure projects for water authorities or councils. Knowledge of water codes and standards is an advantage.

Proven experience working in Design & Construct (D&C) environments with strong awareness of delivery constraints, timelines and site integration

Demonstrated ability to work with engineering and design teams, managing workloads, sequencing and technical development

Strong knowledge of relevant Australian Standards, water authority specifications and mechanical‑civil integration principles an advantage

Proficiency in interpreting engineering drawings, specifications and regulatory requirements, with a sharp eye for technical detail and quality

Strong working knowledge of design platforms such as AutoCAD, Navisworks 3D, or equivalent

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across technical and non-technical stakeholders

A proactive, solution‑oriented mindset, with a focus on safety in design, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Enjoy working in an agile environment across multiple projects

If this opportunity aligns with your experience and aspirations, we’d love to hear from you.